A principal component analysis reveals that a single principal component accounts for 71% of the variance in the overall impact scores. This principal component includes substantial contributions from all five criterion scores, with weights of 0.57 for approach, 0.48 for innovation, 0.44 for significance, 0.36 for investigator and 0.35 for environment.

Is Dr. Berg under the impression that these variables are orthogonal? The correlation, translated into plain English, means that when the reviewers perceive the environment as less than stellar, they may tend to think that the approach must be shitty too. Check the orthogonality, Dr. Berg!